Montpellier is a French city on the Mediterranean Sea with a high proportion of university students. Sounds like Wollongong, right? Well, there will be at least a group of people wearing `We Love the Gong' shirts and Wollongong hats walking around Montpellier later this week. They will be the family and friends of Matildas star Caitlin Foord, who will be there to support her in the must-win game against Brazil in the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. Destination Wollongong delivered a parcel of Wollongong goodies to Caitlin's mum Simone on Monday before she flies out for France to lend some support to her daughter and the Matildas. Simone said the home support for Shellharbour's own footballing superstar was truly appreciated. "The support has been massive," she said. "And Caitlin is feeling it over there, how the Illawarra is getting behind her. It's been amazing the support. "We appreciate it .... she's got the whole of Wollongong behind her." The Illawarra has watched Caitlin grow from a pint-sized child prodigy into an international footballing superstar, now in her third World Cup campaign at just age 24. The Tokyo Olympics will be next in her sights. While Caitlin now travels the world plying her trade, home is never far from her thoughts. "She loves coming home," Caitlin's sister Jamie said. "Especially with the dog, she misses Peach a lot. I'm constantly taking pics to send to her." Caitlin Foord is a part of a rich heritage of this region's sporting history. The quality and calibre of athletes the Illawarra has produced is nothing short of remarkable and the current crop would be right up there in terms of vintages. Try names like Emma McKeon, Alex Volkanovski, Sally Fitzgibbons and Tyler Wright just to name a few. An amazing crop and Caitlin Foord would be right up the very top. READ MORE: Matildas face a World Cup challenge after tough loss